Childminders banned from smacking children

Childminders must not smack children in their care or smoke in
front of them under new government standards for childminding to
take effect from September.

The change to the standards aims to bring childminders in line
with other childcare providers and schools.

The government also hopes that by giving childminders standards
which match other childcare professionals, it will raise the status
of the profession and increase recruitment into the sector. Other
changes include allowing those who have appropriate training and
experience to care for more than one baby under one-year-old.

From September childcare facilities in schools will also be
monitored and inspected by Ofsted on the same basis as other
childcare providers.